Trick-box.



A. A.,HE1DTMANN. TRIGK BOX.

APPLICATION FILIID AUG. 25, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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A. A.l HEIDTMANN.

' TRIGK BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909. 988,1 91 Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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ADOLPI-I A. HEIDTMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THICK-BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH A. HEmTrmNN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borough of Bronx, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trick- Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates more particularly to a box or device which has to be manipulated in a particular way before the top or cover of the same can be opened.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient device'having concealed locking means which acts to lock the parts together and which is so arranged that the construction of the device can not be readily ascertained, thus providing an interesting and amusing device which may be made more or less difficult to operate be.- fore access can be had to the interior thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in which a box-like body is adapted to hold various objects and which has a cover or top movably held thereto and adapted to be locked in such a way that the said locking means may also serve to prevent the entire removal of the lid from the said body.

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide a device which may be used by school children for holding pencils and the like, and which device may be made in various shapes according to the use to which it may be put.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view with the top or cover removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, showing the box in an open position. Fig. 4L is a transverse section, taken on the line TV-IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a slightly different form of device from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. G is a plan view of the body of the device. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5. Fig'. 8 is a longitudinal section, showing a different form of device which is made to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 25, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 514,526.

represent the general form of a plane. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the top in an open position; and Fig. 10 is a transverse section, taken on the line X-X of Fig. 8.

The body 10 of the box may be of any desired form. As shown, it is rectangular and is of sufficient depth to hold various articles and at or near the upper part of the body 10 is a transversely-extending bar or part 11. A top or cover member 12 has one end hinged, by means of the links 13, to the end of the transverse bar or part 11, and said member is normally forced upward and outward by one or more springs 14, one end of which is fastened to the under partof the bar 11 and has its outer end engaging the end surface of the inner member 12. This member 12 serves in a measure as a false cover for the box and over said member 12 is an outer cover or top member 15. This top or lid member may be slidingly held between the sides 16 of the body 10 and has a tongue-and-groove connection, as 17, with said sides to permit said member to be readily forced along the upper part of the body 10.

To lock the top member 15 to the body 10 in such a way that when the box is closed it will be diliicult to open witlioutknowing how to operate the locking means, I provide a recess 18 in the free end of the member 12. This recess may be substantially rectangular and is provided with straight marginal walls 19 and adapted to tit in said recess is a locking device or element. 20. This device 2O corresponds to the shape of the recess 18 and said device is slidingly held on a screw or bolt 21 which is held to the under side of the top member 15 so as to project within a recess 22. The recess 22, when the box is in a locked position, is opposed to and in alinement with the recess 18, and said recess 22 has a depth corresponding to or greater' than the thickness of the locking device or element 20, while the recess 18 is of less depth, the said device 2O having a recess as 23, and being' limited in its movement on the bolt or pin 21 by means of the bolt head 24C.

As will be seen when the parts of the box are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the locking device or element 20 will fall into the recess 18 and will still have a part thereof projecting into the recess 22. This will lock the top to the member 12 and prevent the top member 15 from being moved unless the locking device is released. This can be accomplished by inverting the box to permit the weighted locking device 20 to drop en tirely into the recess 22, or if said device does not drop freely by causing the same to do so when the bottom of the body 10 is tapped or arred. This will cause the device 20 to enter the recess 22 free of the recess 18 so that the top member 15 may be moved to the position, shown in Fig. 3. At this time the spring 14 will force the member 12 to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that access may be readily had to the interior of the box body 10. The transverse bar 11 is provided with a recess or engaging part 25 located in the path of movement of the locking device or element 20. This recess has a tapered or beveled bottom 26 and provides an abrupt marginal wall 27 against which the element 20 is adapted to engage when the top member 15 is forced outward, as is shown best in Fig. 3, and owing to the beveled surface or bottom of the recess 25, said top member may be forced inward to close the box at will when the weight or element 20 will again engage the recess 18 and lock the top members in position. By this means a simple and efficient concealed locking means is provided for holding the lid or top against movement, but which will permit the slidable member to be forced along the body after it is known how to operate the said locking means.

In Figs. 5 to 7, is shown a box or device which is particularly adapted as a childs companion for holding pencils and the like. The body portion 28 has the side walls 29 extended lengthwise of the body portion and enlarged end walls 30 and 31, and said side walls are provided with grooves and in these grooves are adapted to fit the tongues 32 of the sliding top or cover member 33. The top or cover in this case has a single member only and is provided with a recess 34 at one end thereof and held to move in this recess is a locking device 35. This device 35 is held to a bolt or pin 36 in substantially the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4, and said locking device 35 is of less thickness than the depth of the recess 34 and is adapted to enter a recess 37 in the end wall 31 of the body 28. The top member 33 is locked to the body 28 by permitting the device 35 to enter both the recesses 34 and 37, or the said device is caused to enter the recess 34 when the top is to be released as previously explained, and when released, the top or top member 33 may be forced to an open position as is usual in boxes containing a sliding lid or top. A. recess 38 similar to the recess 25 of Fig. 1 is provided in the end wall 30 to prevent the top member from being-entirely removed, as the said device 35 will enter said recess 38 and engage the marginal wall 39,

the said device 35 being tapered or beveled, as at 40, at one end thereof so that when the member 33 is forced to a closed position, said device may be readily forced over the upper inner edge 41 of the end wall 31.

Figs. 8 to 10 show how the device may be made in a different form. As shown, the general appearance of the box or device is that of a plane, though the same may be made of any other desired form. The body 42 may be box-like to hold various objects and at the one end of the body portion is a handle 43 and a part 44 representing the cutting element of the plane. Two relatively movable members 45 and 46 are pivotally held to the part 47 of the body 42 as by the screw 48 and said members form a top or cover for the body. The member 46 is adapted to form an inner member, and is provided with a slot 49 through which the screw 48 passes, and at the opposite end of said member is a slot 50 through which a screw or similar fastening element 51 passes which holds the member 46 to move with the outer member 45 or permits a relative movement of the member 46 with respect to said member 45. The member 46 is provided with a tongue or projecting part 52 which is adapted to enter a recess or opening 53 in the handle portion 43 so that when the member is in the position shown in Fig. 8, the said tongue will hold the member 46 against a swinging pivotal movement on the bolt 48 until the member 46 is drawn back thereby withdrawing the tongue 52 from the recess 53 which can be readily done by means of the lingers when the two members 45 and 46 are not locked together as will be presently explained.

The member 45 is provided with a recess 54 which is opposed to a recess 55 located in the inner member 46, and adapted to move in said recess is a locking device or element 56. This device 56 corresponds substantially to the depth of the recess 54' and has a greater thickness than the depth of the recess 55.so that when in the position shown in Fig. 8, the two members 45 and 46 are held against relative movement, but when the box or device is inverted, the metallic locking device or weight 56 will enter the recess 54 so as to be entirely free of the member 46. At this time a relative sliding movement may be given to the said member 46 by means of the fingers to force the same to the position shown in Fig. 9, when bot-h members may be moved together so that access may be had to the interior of the box or body 28. The locking of the parts together will be the reverse of that described, and when in a locked position, the edge of the top member 45 will fit into a groove 57, formed in the upper portion 43.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an eective and interesting trick box is provided; readily manufactured and sold at a reasonable price; that simple locking means is provided for holding the parts and for preventing the entire disconnection of the parts forming the device; and that said device, besides being adapted for use as a trick box for amusement, is also adapted to hold various articles to adapt the same to be employed for many purposes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A device of the character described, including a box body, a top member therefor, a locking member for said top member', means providing for vertical movement of said locking member, said box body and said top member having opposed recesses of unequal depth, to conjointly receive said locking member, one of said recesses also adapted to separately receive said locking member at dilferent times, as when the box body is in normal position or when inverted, said box body having a depression in its upper surface to form av stop in connection With said locking member to control or li'mit'the uncovering movement of said top member.

2. A device of the character described, including a box body, a top member therefor, a locking member for said top member, said box body and said top member' having opposed recesses of unequal depth adapted to conjointly receive said locking member, one of said recesses also adapted to separately receive said locking member at different times as When the body member' is in normal position or When inverted, means providing for vertical movement of said locking member, said box body having a depression in its upper surface, the bottom of Which depression is formed upon an incline for guiding said locking member as the latter is received by said depression against oneWall of said depression, as in controlling` or limiting the uncovering movement of said top member.

3. A device of the type described, includ ing a box body having an inner hinged top member, and a sliding outer top member,

that said box or device may be l said inner and outer top members having opposed recesses of dilferent depths, a locking member arranged to be received by said recesses conjointly and by one of said recesses separately, as when the box body is in normal position or inverted, means providing for vertical movement of said locking member', said box body also having a recess adapted to receive said locking member when the outer top member has been moved to the limit of its open position.

4L. A device of the type described, including a box body having an inner hinged top member, and a slidable outer top member, said inner and outer top members having opposed recesses of different depths, a locking member arranged to be received by said recesses conjointly and by one of said recesses separately as When the box body is in normal position or inverted, means providing for vertical movement of said locking member, said box body also having a. recess having an inclined bottom adapted to be engaged by said locking member when said outer top member has reached the limit of its open position.

5. A device of the type described, including a box body having an inner hinged top member, and a slidable outer top member, said top members having opposed recesses of different depths, a locking member arranged to be received by said recesses conjoint-ly and by one of said recesses separately as when the box body is in normal position or inverted, means providing for vertical movement of said locking member, said box body also having a recess having an inclined bottom, adapted` to be engaged by said locking member when said outer top member has reached the limit of its open position, and resilient means for automatically elevating said hinged inner top member into elevated open position.

rlhis specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of August A. D. 1909.

ADOLPH A. HEIDTMANN. lVitnesses M. DINNHAUPT, LESTER C. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

